


Accepting the Inevitable

by Guanin



Series: Antipodal Shadows [2]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: M/M, Pre-Slash, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-13
Updated: 2014-11-13
Packaged: 2018-02-25 06:17:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2611502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guanin/pseuds/Guanin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“So what’s the deal with you and this Cobblepot guy, huh?” Harvey asked. "Me and Mooney was just business. You two are all chummy."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Accepting the Inevitable

**Author's Note:**

> This is part two of a series that will eventually stop being pre-slash and become proper Oswald/Jim. The boys are just taking a while to get there. Because they are stubborn. And I love slow burn.

“So what’s the deal with you and this Cobblepot guy, huh?” Harvey asked one afternoon while they sat at their desks enduring the drudgery of paperwork.

Jim shrugged, pausing for a second.

“Same as Fish Mooney and you used to have.”

“Nuh uh. This is different. Me and Mooney was just business. You two are all chummy. Me and Mooney never exchanged phone numbers."

"Well, Oswald doesn't own a nightclub and I can't exactly drop by Maroni's restaurant whenever I need a tip. Or vice versa."

"So you finally joined the rest of us, huh? Saint Jim has his own gangster stoolie. Our little man is all grown up."

Jim resisted the urge to groan in frustration.

"It works out for both of us," he said, bending his head over his very important paperwork. Definitely more important than this conversation.

"Because?"

Harvey dragged out the word with relish. Jim stopped writing, knowing he was going to regret looking up, bracing himself as if he were about to hit a stone barrier in a car going 100 miles an hour, and, yep, Harvey just couldn't help himself, could he? He was gazing at Jim with expectant glee, just waiting for Jim to admit what he had been refusing to accept since he became a detective at this precinct.

"Don't make me say it," Jim begged.

"You need to acknowledge the situation, Jimmy boy. It's not healthy to live in denial. You need to let it out."

Oh, for fuck's sake.

"Fine. I realized that cooperating with certain members of the mob can help us in our jobs.

"Hallelujah! He has seen the light. I'm proud of you, Jimmy. I know that was hard, but it had to be done."

"But I only associate with one mobster," Jim said, starting to write again. "One "

"And Falcone if he wants something. I rather like being alive "

Crap.

"Alright, two."

"And Maroni probably knows you two are buddy buddy, so he might exploit that connection to ask you for a favor, too."

Oh, for the love of God.

"That basically covers every major player in the city,” Harvey continued. “You're boned."

"Fine," Jim said, throwing his pen on the desk. "So I'm technically tied to every major gangster in the city. That does not mean I'm going to do things any differently than I have until now."

"No one pretends that this is an ideal situation. It's just the way that the city operates."

"Well, that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Jim’s phone buzzed. He opened it and immediately shut his eyes in disbelief at the ridiculous timing of this text message.

“What’s wrong?” Harvey asked.

“Nothing. It’s… good.” Jim stood up and pulled on his jacket. “I know where Cullen is going.”

“Your gangster came through, huh?” Harvey asked, following suit.

“He’s not my gangster.”

“Fine, your snitch. He is that.”

_Mine and Falcone’s._

“Okay, fine. I can live with that one.”

He texted a quick “thanks” to Oswald. 

A few seconds later, Oswald texted back: _Anything you need_


End file.
